Mississippi Alimony & Spousal Support (2026)
Unlike child support, Mississippi has no fixed formula for how much alimony (spousal support) costs or how long it lasts. A judge decides both based on a list of factors set out in Armstrong v. Armstrong, 618 So. 2d 1278 (Miss. 1993). There is no calculator that can honestly give you an exact number here — but the factors below are what actually drives the decision.
What determines alimony in Mississippi
Under Armstrong v. Armstrong, 618 So. 2d 1278 (Miss. 1993) (Armstrong factors (Mississippi case law; no controlling alimony statute)), a court considers:
- Income and expenses of each spouse
- Health and earning capacity of the parties
- Needs of each party
- Obligations and financial assets of each party
- Length of the marriage
- Presence or absence of minor children in the home of either party
- Age of the parties
- Standard of living of the parties, both during the marriage and at the time of the support determination
- Tax consequences of the alimony award
- Fault or misconduct of either party
- Wasteful dissipation of marital assets by either party
- Any other factor deemed just and equitable by the chancellor
Good to know
- Mississippi has no alimony statute at all — there is no Mississippi Code section that sets out amount, duration, or factors for spousal support. The governing rule comes entirely from case law: the Mississippi Supreme Court's 1993 decision in Armstrong v. Armstrong, which lists twelve factors chancellors must weigh.
- Because this is a discretionary, case-by-case chancery court decision rather than a formula, no two cases with similar numbers will necessarily produce the same award — the same set of facts can be weighed differently by different chancellors.
Also need a child support estimate?
Alimony and child support are calculated completely separately in Mississippi. If you also have children, use our free Mississippi child support calculator — that one does compute a real number, based on the official guideline formula.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an alimony formula in Mississippi?
No. Mississippi has no statute and no formula for calculating the amount or length of alimony. Chancellors decide case-by-case using the twelve factors set out by the Mississippi Supreme Court in Armstrong v. Armstrong, 618 So. 2d 1278 (Miss. 1993).
What factors determine alimony in Mississippi?
Under the Armstrong factors, a chancellor weighs each spouse's income, expenses, health, and earning capacity; the needs, obligations, and assets of each party; the length of the marriage; whether minor children live with either spouse; each party's age; the marital standard of living; tax consequences; fault or misconduct; wasteful dissipation of assets; and any other factor the court finds just and equitable.
Source: Armstrong factors (Mississippi case law; no controlling alimony statute) · Last verified 2026-07-22
Disclaimer: This page explains the general legal framework for alimony in Mississippi and is for informational purposes only — it is not legal advice and does not predict the outcome of any specific case. Laws change; always verify with the official source above or a family law attorney licensed in Mississippi before making decisions.